Rude Awakening
by Carmen Grey
Summary: Neela has just disowned her parents, was dumped by her boyfriend and now she found out her father has been telling her lies her whole life. Can she figure everything out before it's too late?


**Neela Finn is a charcter I made up to join the story. And boy does she have problems of her own. (You'll find out in this chapter)**

Neela stretched out in the compartment. She was alone and hopefully she'll stay alone. She didn't want to deal with one or any guy for that matter. Her summer was rough enough as it is. Moving out, disowning her parents and on top of that her boyfriend dumped her. Talk about harsh.

She went through her bag and pulled out a sketchbook and a pencil. She went in her photo album and picked a picture of Oliver to draw. This is how she was able to get over him.

She started sketching out his head on an angle as he looked at her. She made sure every detail was correct and that it looked just like him. Next she did the eyes that were locked on her smile. Oh how she missed him and his gaze upon her. That gave her the feeling that she could take on anything.

She rounded the ears and shaded the inside giving it more of a human feeling. She looked at it so far and it looked just like him. The smile, the lips, his intriguing eyes. I t was just like Oliver. She did a good job this time, maybe even a great job. She was pleased so far.

She shaded it in more as the compartment door slid open. She didn't look up. She continued to draw.

"What are you doing alone back here?" The voice belonged to Hermione. "We've been looking for you." She didn't answer her. "Neela, are you all right?"

"Does this look okay?" She asked her showing the picture of Oliver. She was actually trying to change the subject.

"It's amazing, Neela. Did you just draw this?" She sat down beside me and examined it more thoroughly.

"Yeah. I like to be alone when I draw. You're lucky I'm semi-finished or else I would've kicked your ass." Hermione laughed.

"Well aren't I lucky?" She handed Neela back her drawing. "Well, now then come on. The guys are waiting for me to return with you."

"No offense, but I don't to be around any guy right now." She closed her sketchbook.

"Come on, Neela. They are you're friends and they can help you just like me. You need friends at a time like this."

She had a point. This was a time when you needed a friend or friends to comfort you. _Why am I being stubborn about it though?_

Hermione looked at her and started to tap her toe. She wanted Neela to come with and she waited for her to put her sketchbook away. Neela gave in and put her sketchbook in her bag. She gave Hermione the 'are you happy now' look and she laughed at Neela.

"Yes I am." She said laughing. "Now come."

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

Harry sat in the compartment with Ron. They bought candy from the trolley, as Hermione was gone. She was gone quite some time now and they were worried.

"Do you think she found her?" Ron asked Harry as he ate a chocolate frog.

"Don't know." Harry replied. He opened a box of every flavored beans and ate them out the box.

Ron looked at Harry. He wasn't making eye contact with him and that meant something was on his mind or someone. And he very well knew who that someone was.

"You still haven't told her, have you?" This surprised Ron. Harry always talked of how he was going to tell her how he felt about her. He guessed Harry felt it wasn't the right time. Hopefully the time will be soon.

"Soon enough, Ron. Just not now." The compartment door slid open and it was Hermione with Neela behind her.

"Finally found her." She said walking in with Neela following. "She was all by herself."

"Why were you all by yourself?" Harry asked finally raising his head meeting his eyes with hers. He watched her hair flip as she turned her head. _Beautiful. _When she finally looked at him there was a relief. He wanted to look into her light brown eyes and gaze at them like Oliver did. He looked at her lips and wished he could kiss them instead of Oliver.

"Just thinking, that's all." She dropped her bag on the floor and sat next to Harry. She opened her bag and grabbed a book. She was reading during the summer and never had a chance to finish. _Maybe they won't talk to me if I read._

"What about?" Harry asked her. Neela didn't want to answer, but she decided to. It would be easier to talk about it. She closed the book and looked at Harry.

"Well… I disowned my parents until they finish rehab, I moved out from home and … oh yeah, Oliver dumped me for an older woman." She went back to my book as they looked at each other.

Harry was jumping for joy inside, but he was also concerned. That didn't sound like something Oliver would do and on top of that her parents. No wonder she wasn't able to write to him during the summer when she promised she would.

"That's a good start." Hermione said. "You're talking about it."

"I guess. I was easier to write to you and Draco about it." Neela then noticed what she said. She just called Malfoy, Draco. She always referred to him as Malfoy even though they were in the same house. It was the way it was with them.

"Draco, now? What's with the sudden change?" Hermione knew something was up. She always knew. Neela dug her head in her book and didn't answer. "Neela."

"He helped me out, okay. I think that's another reason why Oliver dumped me. Draco and I were getting closer…as friends and he didn't really like it." She paused. "He tried everything to cheer me up and it worked. But Oliver must've gotten jealous."

"His lose then." Harry said.

"And another man's gain." Ron said replying to Harry's remark. It was meant for Harry to hear, but they all heard.

"I guess you're right." Neela said. "Thanks guys."

"So…to a better subject, how was your guys summer? Anything exciting?" Hermione said. Ron started to talk about all the pranks Fred and George did on him and it made Neela smile.

_This is nice._

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

"I'll see you guys around." Neela said. "I'll see you in five minutes at the carriages." Hermione nodded and Neela left Harry, Ron and Hermione. She was going to catch up with her Slytherin friends. She then saw a flash of blonde before her. She looked again and saw Blaise standing next to the blonde head. She knew who it was and ran towards him.

"Draco!" She shouted running. He turned around and saw Neela running towards him. She left her bag and jumped into his arms.

"Hey Neela." He said kissing her forehead.

"Do you think there's something going on between Neela and Malfoy?" Harry asked Hermione and Ron and they made there way with the other Gryffindors. He just saw Neela jump into Malfoy' arms and him kissing her forehead.

"Don't know." Ron said. "Just don't think about Harry. I'm sure it's nothing."

"I hope you're right."

"You left you're bag, Neela." Justin said bringing it over. Justin was nice like that. Always there for someone.

"Thanks Justin." Neela said grabbing the bag.

"I'll see you around." He then walked off to join Susan.

"I still wonder how you got in Slytherin." Draco said.

"Me too." Blaise said getting into it. Blaise looked at them. They looked like a couple, but sure enough they wouldn't admit it. Draco's arm was wrapped around Neela's waist and her head on Draco's chest.

"My father. We went through this. He was a Slytherin, but then my mother was a Gryffindor. Could've been in either one actually."

"Well I'm glad you're with us and not…the trio." They knew not to talk about Harry, Ron and Hermione around Neela. She would have a fit if they said something mean about them. She was there friend also and they respected that.

"Good thing you caught yourself." Neela said to Blaise. "Or else you would've meet the floor." Draco laughed at this. He knew how tough Neela was. She beat him up a bit in the summer. Just a punch on the arm and it really hurt. He even got a bruise, but it turned him on.

"Really?" Blaise stepped closer to Neela.

"Yeah, really." She stepped closer to him too. They looked at each other and laughed. Blaise hugged her.

"I know you can take me."

Draco looked at Neela. He gazed at her smile the same way Oliver did. He watched her lick her lips and wished he could touch them with his own. She looked back at him and saw him with a big smile. She smiled back.

"I better get going before the carriage leaves without me." Neela said. "I'll see you inside." She gave Blaise another hug and then she walked over to Draco. She kissed him on the cheek and walked away with her bag joining Hermione. They were both head girls on there last year.

Draco placed his hand where Neela kissed him on the cheek and he smiled. He then day dreamed about him and Neela going out.

"Still day dreaming, Draco?" Blaise asked. He didn't answer him. He watched Neela walk to Hermione and get in a carriage together. "Earth to Draco." Blaise waved his hand in front of Draco's face. Draco snapped back to reality and removed his hand.

"Huh?"

"Fallen for Neela. To bad I turned her down years." Draco looked at Blaise. _She liked him?_" Yeah, she liked me. I turned her down and then she hit Oliver with the beater, remember? That's how they started."

"Really?" Neela never told him how she and Oliver started dating.

"But if you want her, it'll be hard. You know how she is."

"Yeah, but that's what I love about her. She's bubbly and smart. And on top of that she's very popular."

"And that's why everyone likes her."

"But they don't know her like I do." Blaise came up from behind and patted Draco on the back.

"And that my friend is what we call an advantage. A very good one."


End file.
